I've been thinking about this alot lately... spurred on by Ann VosKamp's amazing book One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. I've been following her lead, and looking for His goodness in every situation... and you know what? It's getting easier to find... I have always loved sleuthing (brought about my early infatuation with Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon, I'm sure) - but this sleuthing is more rewarding.
These glimpses of glory found in the strangest of places... seeing His goodness despite what looks "bad" to me... trusting Him to sort out the details.
My Abba is good to reinforce this lesson... even today at lunch, as I pulled out The Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan prayers, (spurred on by a recent link to a prayer guide for this book) - the prayer was entitled, The All-Good. Allow me to share a few tastes of this delicious morsel:
Thou art all my good in times of peace,
my only support in days of trouble,
my one sufficiency when life shall end.
Help me to see how good Thy will is in all,
and even when it crosses mine
teach me to be pleased with it...
Thou bottomless fountain of all good,
I give myself to Thee out of love,
for all I have or own is thine,
my goods, family, church, self,
to do with as Thou wilt,
to honour Thyself by me, and by all mine.
If it be consistent with Thy eternal counsels,
the purpose of Thy grace,
and the great ends of Thy glory,
then bestow upon me the blessings of Thy comforts;
If not,let me resign myself to Thy wiser determinations.
That is manna... sent down from heaven to feast upon!
